The subject matter disclosed herein relates generally to support structures that include covers and, more particularly, safety and usability mechanisms for gantries and gantry covers. Support structures, including gantries, can be large and heavy systems. They may include a large number of components and parts. It is important to allow easy and safe ways to access these components and parts during service or adjustment of the systems.
Gantries are an important part of radiography and tomography systems. A medical imaging system can include a gantry comprising a stationary frame for supporting a rotor and attached components of the imaging chain. The rotor includes a central opening large enough to receive a patient extending along the scanning axis. The rotor is rotated about a patient during a scanning or imaging procedure. An x-ray tube can be positioned on the rotor diametrically across the central opening from an array of x-ray detectors. As the rotor rotates, the x-ray tube projects a beam of energy, or x-rays, along a scan plane, through a patient, and to the detector array. By rotating the x-ray source about the scanning axis and relative to the patient, x-rays are projected through a patient from many different directions. An image of the scanned portion of a patient can be constructed from data provided by the detector array using a computer.
Covers may be placed on the various sides of a support structure, including gantry, for improving the look, safety, and usability of the system. Allowing the easy manipulation of the covers for improved access to internal components of the support structure is a priority. Thus, improved systems for allowing easy manipulation of covers are proposed.